Knitting needle, chiefly adapted for the restoration of meshes



a. c. ALRIC' KNITTING NEEDLE, CHIEFLY ADAPTED FOR THE RESTORATION OF MESHES Nov. 4, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Original- Filed May 12, 1937 I 9 I INVENTOR. GvsZhz/e CharZes .fZZrz'c A BY WW ATTORNEY.

Nov. 4, 1941. c ALRlc 2,261,896

KNITTING NEEDLE, CHIEFLY ADAPTED FOR THE RESTORATION 0F MESHES Original Filed May 12; 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fza on 2 A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 KNITTING NEEDLE,

CHIEFLY ADAPTED FOR THE RESTORATION 0F MESHES Original application May 12, 1937, Serial No.

142,241. Divided and this application March '7,

1941, Serial No. 382,254. In France May 20,

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a knittingneedle which is chiefly adapted for the restoration of meshes, the said needle being distinguished by its great simplicity, its reliable operation and its ready use. This application is a divisional application of Serial No. 142,241, filed by me on May 12, 1937, now Patent No. 2,240,152. r

The said needle is chiefly characterized by the fact. that it comprises a pivoted plate whose pivoting axle is at a short distance from the open end of the hook, the said plate being suitably arranged in order that it may entirely disappear in its support when in the open position.

The said plate is brought out of the body of the needle at the proper time by a catch which is provided upon the plate, or on an accessory piece, on the proper side of the needle, and is actuated during the rising stroke by the preceding mesh which surrounds the body of the needle. The plate is thus brought into the position of contact, and it can thus be caught and raised bythe mesh, then terminating its action according to the known method for needles provided with plates.

The plate is advantageously provided with an appendage which furthers the rising movement of the plate, and is maintained by the mesh in the disappearing position during the rise of-the strand.

When the plate is raised by a special member, this latter preferably consists of a rear plate which projects slightly from the support, so that it may be lifted by the catching of the-preceding loop during the return stroke; this same projection, or another, can possibly aid in the rising movement caused by the escape of the mesh, by bringing the said lifting piece into the catching position during the forward stroke for the insertion.

Further characteristics of the invention will be set forth in the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a first form of construction of a needle for restoring the meshes, in conformity with the invention, in the open position.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view. Fig. 3 is an elevational View, in the closed position.

Figs. 4 to 8 show the position of the needle in the different stages of the formation of a mesh.

Figs. 9 to 11 show modifications in detail.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment represented in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a needle I comprising a shank havinga hook 2 formed at one end thereof. In the said needle is a slot 3 formed in the direction of its length and serving as a guide for a plate 4 which is pivoted on a small axle 5.

The said plate co-operates with the hook 2 and with a rear plate 6 which is also guided in the slot and turns upon a small axle I. The rear plate is provided with a small projection or catch 8, and has a light extended part 9. The movements of the rear plate are limited by two stops l0 and H which may consist of bent parts of the thin walls of the needle.

The operation is as follows:

Referring to Fig. 4, two entire loops are shown at [2-43, followed by a loop I4 which is ready to leave the mesh, and by three strands 15 to H which have already become separated and are to be replaced. v 7

After stretching the piece of hosiery upon a suitable hollow support, the needle is inserted in the direction of the arrow 1 (Fig. 4) between the loop l3 and the loop I l. The needle is now in the open position, with the plates entirely withdrawn into the support formed by the needle, and only the catch 8 of the rear plate projects below the support. The needle is sufiiciently inserted in order that the loop or mesh 14 shall be clearly in the rear of the plate 4 (Fig. 5). The needle is then drawn to the rear (Fig. 6, arrow f) thus drawing the next strand l5 into the hook 2. The catch 8 will now hook upon the loop l3, thus turning the rear plate which rises and thus turns the plate 4, which now closes the hook (Fig. 6). The loop M will thus pass above the plate and the hook. It now drops from the needle, thus forming the mesh (Fig. '7). During the movement of insertion in order to seize the strand Hi, the strand l5, which has now become a mesh, raises the plate 4 (Fig. 8) this latter makes contact with the rear plate, thus bringing the catch 8 into the hooking position, this being also facilitated by the friction of the separated mesh M. The needle is again in its initial position (Fig. 5).

It will be observed that the size of the plate and thus on the one hand, the extra thicknesses which are usually necessary in order to center the edge of the plate 4 upon the edge of the hook, are not. required, so that the width of the slot,

On the contrary, the tests which have been made with the needle according to the invention have proved to be entirely satisfactory, in spite of the fact that the needles according to the invention are greatly simplified as compared with the needles provided with a sliding or pivoted bar, such as are employed at present.

the yarns; for this reason, the strands which are to be raised need not be stretchedxupon their support, which is very favorable to the invisibility of the work.

Obviously, the simple forms of construction herein described and represented are given solely by way of example, and it is possible, without departing from the principle of the invention, to modify in any suitable manner, the number, shape, character, arrangement and assembling of the several parts. For instance, the rear plate 6 may be replaced by a like raising member, such as a pivoted bar l8, guided by a slot I9 upon an axle 20. A spring 2| (Figs. 9, l and 11) may be provided for the bar l8, the rear plate 6, and/or the plate 4, in order to secure or to'facilitate the return of the parts into the initial position and to ofier such resistance to a mesh engaging the same as would break or damage the latter, wherea the free end of the spring 2| which engages the bar |8 normally retains the latter in the position as is shownin Figure 9. The leaf spring 2| maybe so arranged as to directly engage the rear plate 6 whereby the latter may be normally retained in the position as shown in Figure 10 or the spring 2| may be applied directly upon the plate 4 as shown in Figure 11 for normally retaining this plate entirely within the slot 3 of the shank of the needle. The needle may be mounted on a handle (not shown) and may be given an alternate movement, automatic or not. In like manner, it may be mounted on a knitting machine of any type, whether straight or circular.

I claim:

1. A knitting needle particularly adapted for the restoration of meshes comprising a shank, a hook formed at one end thereof, said shank having a slot formed therein, a plate pivotally mounted within said slot adapted at times to close the entrance to said hook, a rear plate pivotally mounted within said slot, a projection formed the meshes in order to impart movement to said first-named plate.

2. A knitting needle particularly adapted for the restoration of meshes comprising a shank having a hook formed at one end thereof and extending at one side thereto, a plate pivotally 3. A knitting needle particularly adapted for the restoration of meshes comprising a shank to close the entrance of said hook.

will close the opened end of said hook.

7. A knitting needle particularly adapted for the restoration slot and pin connection between 7 tension and said shank and said lifting member connected to said shank, means for normally retaining said lifting member in one position Within the slot of said shank, and a projection formed with said lifting member for contacting one of the meshes whereby movement will be transmitted to said lifting member against the action of said retaining means and thereby caused said plate to close the entrance of said hook.

GUSTAVE CHARLES ALRIC. 

